Past Issue

Job-hunting takes no holiday Abridged: Democratandchronicle.com

ROCHESTER, NY -- An unemployed person's job hunt doesn't have to go barren over the holidays. In many ways, with good cheer in the air, now is the best time to look. "A lot of people during the holidays think that the job search is not on anybody's lists or minds and will take time off," said Karin Edinger, senior career coach/counselor for Rochester's Career Development Services. "But that's where they're off the mark."

Businesses, as they finish 2005 budgets, might need more workers for the new year making holiday events prime for networking. Continuing your job hunt during this period might also stave off depression - which could set in because you are strapped for cash during a big gift-giving season.

"You should never, never, never let up," said Judie Myers-Gell, a human resource professional who lost her job several months. "It's a hidden job market that tends to be overlooked over the holidays." Myers-Gell, for example, just had an interview in which the company told her that the job wouldn't start until February. "Some companies are now doing their budgets and foreseeing certain openings," she said.

Now is the best time to look for a new job Staff Writer, The Career News

LOS ANGELES, CA -- In many ways, with good cheer in the air, now is the best time to look for a new job. More than one-third of hiring managers say they will do the majority of their hiring for the year in the first quarter. Forty-five percent anticipate increasing their staffs from the fourth quarter 2004 to the first quarter 2005. The hard part is to get your resume read by the right people at the right time. To succeed your resume has to be available to the employer the "moment" they decide to fill a position.

One easy way to be found by employers who are looking to hire someone with your skills, is to post your resume on all the top career sites. As soon as an employer needs someone, this is usually the first place they look. While it's not the only job search activity you should pursue, it is a documented and proven method of more successful job seekers.

If you want all the benefits without all the work, you can use a new service from Resume Rabbit to do it for you. You fill out one simple form and they'll instantly post your resume on over 75 top career sites like Job.com, FlipDog, CareerBuilder, Dice & more! You'll be seen by over 1.5 million employers & recruiters daily. It takes ONLY 5 MINUTES and saves 60 hours of research and data entry! Try it today by, going to this link.

The new year's resolutions trap Pat Schuler, Business Development Coach

MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- You've seen the statistics year after year - less than 10 percent of New Year's resolutions are honored 30 days later. Most last less than 10 days. Why do we make resolutions each year? To please others? To prove we're serious? Because we should? Because it's easier than really investing in ourselves?

What if there were a tool that helped us determine which resolutions and goals were really important to us, and not just lip service? What if there was a model that helped us focus and stay on track? Can you pledge meeting times and status reports to a buddy? Absolutely. Could you get to your goal even faster with the support of a skilled professional?

Now, more than ever before, there is a huge array of experts available to us. They are easy to find via referrals and through the web. They come in a wide selection of price points. This year, get serious and set a budget for that goal or resolution, and hire the professional support you need and deserve.

Unemployment claims: Biggest drop in 3 years Abridged: ChicagoTribune.com

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Labor Department said Thursday that the number of Americans filing initial jobless claims fell by 43,000 last week, the largest one-week decline in three years. First-time claims dropped to 317,000, the lowest level since the week ended July 3. Economists had expected a fall to 342,000. The four-week moving average, which irons out weekly volatility, decreased to 337,750 from 342,250.

"Seasonal adjustment problems over the Thanksgiving holiday account for the volatility in recent weeks, and there will be further big swings over the next few weeks" with the Christmas and New Year holidays, said Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics Ltd. in Valhalla, N.Y. "The true trend will re-emerge sometime in January."

Claims have averaged 343,640 a week this year, down from 402,000 in 2003. Companies are holding onto more workers and in some cases are hiring to meet demand. "It's getting incredibly difficult for companies to squeeze more out of what they've got, and so it's becoming increasingly important for companies to hire," said Christopher Low, chief economist at FTN Financial in New York.

New Year's Resolution: Start your own business Staff Writer, The Career News

LAS VEGAS, NV -- Have you dreamed of owning your own business but don't know where to start? Franchises are becoming more and more popular as a way for people to buy and own their own business. Here are 4 main advantages to owning a franchise.

First, you're able to operate your own business with the security of working with a large company. Second, the start-up, operations and general business plans are laid out for you with training and support from the franchisor. Third, you reduce your risk due to the success of the franchisor's reputation & experience. Fourth, it may be easier to borrow money to start a franchise than an independent business. If you've been thinking about starting your own business, we recommend a free consultation with FranChoice, the premier "matchmaker" of the franchising industry.

During your consultation, the consultants from FranChoice will help you identify franchise businesses that meet your criteria based on your goals, skills and preferences. Then they'll guide you through the franchise investigation process and answer all your questions. FranChoice is paid for by the various companies offering franchises to help them find suitable matches, so it's free to you and there's no pressure to buy. To instantly sign up for your free consultation, just go to FranChoice.

Neutralize age discrimination - 3 resume tips Jean Cummings, Personal Brand Reporter

CONCORD, MA -- If you are 55, 48, or even 40 and looking for a job, you are probably wondering if age discrimination will affect you during the hiring process. According to ExecuNet, 84% of executives say that age discrimination is a serious problem, and 65% have encountered it in a job search (an increase of 7% just since 2001). Here are three resumes strategies to get you in the door:

• Dates. Do not list more than the last 10 to 15 years of experience. Avoid listing college and graduate school graduation dates.



• Content. Make the 10-15 years of your most recent experience count by giving concrete examples of how you benefited a company. Include times when your experience and good judgment resulted in fewer false starts and costly errors.



• Strategy. Turn your age into a background issue. Make a strong case that you can meet a business need or "relieve the pain" an executive might be experiencing. Tell them how you can leverage your experience and skills to make money, save money, or solve problems.

One-Stop Resume Mailing to 1000's of Recruiters Staff Writer, The Career News

NEW YORK, NY -- When looking for a job, you may want to consider working with a recruiter. Recruiters, otherwise known as head hunters or search consultants, are hired by companies to find candidates for them, and often know about unadvertised jobs.

It's important to note, that recruiters do not charge the job seeker. The company pays a fee, typically when a candidate is hired. When contacting a recruiter send a resume and cover letter just as though you were applying for a job. If a recruiter calls you, always call back - even if you are not currently job hunting. You never know when circumstances might change and you might need job search assistance.

If you don't know of any good recruiters and/or want to instantly have your resume sent to 1000's of recruiters that specialize in people with your skills, one service, Resume Mailman can instantly email your resume to to 1000's of targeted recruiters. You can even get a list of the recruiters they forwarded your resume to for follow up. To try Resume Mailman, go to this link.

Think like an employer when writing your resume Roberta Gamza, Career Marketing Consultant

DENVER, CO -- It's your resume - therefore it is your story, right? It may be your resume and your story, but to attract an employer's interest you must tell it from an employer's perspective. Put yourself in the role of the hiring manager for the position you seek before you start writing your resume.

Employers are looking for results. They are concerned with sales, revenue, profit, market share, expenses, productivity, customer satisfaction, and industry perception. As an employee, your work will have an impact on at least one of these areas and more likely most or all of them.

When employers look at your resume they want to know the results of your efforts. They do not want to see long lists of tasks performed and a history of employers. Separate responsibilities from accomplishments. Quantify results whenever possible or at least speak about the impact of your efforts. If you modified a process, talk about the improvements stemming from that modification. If you sold X dollars of a product, include the context of the sale and state favorable comparisons to competitors, peers or industry averages.

Knock their socks off during the interview Staff Writer, The Career News

LOS ANGELES, CA -- Interviewing not your forte? Worried that once you finally secure an interview, you're going to blow it? Throw your insecurities aside. Now, you can master the methods and tap into the best the techniques for interviewing.

You've impressed them with your resume, you've scheduled an interview and now you must show your potential employer what you're made of. Ace the interview, and you're on your way to getting the job.

Learning the fine art of interviewing is crucial. You can learn by going on a ton of interviews and discovering what works and what doesn't work. You can ask your friends and family members to give you pointers. Or, you can ace the interview process with the help of a program such as Interview Mastery. Simply download it on your personal computer and the audio/visual aid gives you tips for making the best possible impression in the short time you have to wow that potential employer. Best of all, you can try it for FREE! Control your job-finding destiny - and make it even easier with Interview Mastery. For a FREE trail, follow this link.